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St. Lawrence

MARINA

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2012

www.EMCStLawrence.ca

613-342-0422

City marks
completion of
first upgrades
to water
pollution
control centre

Inside
DEADLINES

By CONAN de VRIES

The deadline for all
St. Lawrence EMC
advertising is
4:30 P.M. FRIDAY.
Deadline for
editorial is now
Monday at 10 a.m.

REAL ESTATE
OUSE
UNTING?

H

Photo by LORRAINE PAYETTE

— See pgs 29-30

Hey! They said we could get out this way! Second-year Queen’s University Engineering students clown around
at the end of their trip to look at the historic Railway Tunnel in Brockville and discover some of its possibilities
as a teaching tool. The tunnel has the potential to open up many avenues in tourism and education throughout the area. See page 10 for more details.

COMMUNITY

Hockey Night in Leeds-Grenville
nets $112,000 for United Way
By LORRAINE PAYETTE

Mazureks’ era with Tait’s
Bakery set to end this
weekend.
— Page 31

UNITED WAY
2012
UNITED
WAY
CAMPAIGN

®

Goal: $1,030,000
Raised to date:
$598,231
58.08% of goal

EMC News - The flash
of blades on ice, lightning
stick action, the puck flying
straight and true, but it’s a
save at the last second by the
goalie as he stretches out as
far as he can and deflects it
with his pads…
Well, sorta. Kinda. Maybe?
It was the sixth annual
Hockey Night in LeedsGrenville, held at Centre
76 in Athens and hosted by
both United Way Leeds &
Grenville and G. Tackaberry
& Sons Construction Company Ltd. Many of the best
NHL and OHL Alumni, local business representatives
and politicians were out to
entertain the area’s biggest
hockey fans and raise some
funds for the United Way.
Playing for the White
Team were #7 Tony McKegney, NHL alumnus; #10
Chris Alexander, MP AjaxPickering; #13 Terry Marcotte, CTV Globe Media;
#14 Tanya Edmonds, Ross&
Cliffen & Associates; #23

Play was hot and heavy in the interest of a good
cause at the 6th Annual Hockey Night in Leeds-Grenville, held at Centre 76 in Athens on Nov. 1. The event
raised $112,000 for the United Way.

BLACK FRIDAY
IS COMING!
Watch for it
Nov. 22
In This Newspaper

EMC News - The river
in front of Brockville is going to be a whole lot cleaner
from now on.
On Friday, Nov. 2, a host
of dignitaries and officials
gathered at the Water Pollution Control Centre at the
city’s east end to celebrate
the completion of the first
round of upgrades to the facility.
The addition of secondary
treatment capacity makes
sure the Brockville plant
meets provincial standards
and will ensure that wastewater is thoroughly cleansed
before it is reintroduced to
the river.
“The water coming out
of that plant now is much
cleaner,” said Mayor David
Henderson.
Two-phase project
The upgrade is actually a
two-phase project. The first
phase has been completed.
But it was announced on
Friday that phase II – which
will upgrade the water main
that feeds the facility – will
begin in September 2013.
The cost of the whole
project is $46 million. The
cost of phase I came in a
little under budget at about
$42 million. It is the single
largest project the City of
Brockville has ever taken
on, said the mayor.
The government of Canada chipped in $22.9 million
towards the total cost of the
project.
“This project has already
created local jobs and boosted the economy right here
in Brockville,” said LeedsGrenville MP Gord Brown.
The provincial government contributed $7.6 million to the undertaking.
“It’s a testament to the
great things that can happen
when all three levels of government work together,” said
Grant Crack, MPP for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, who
was on hand to represent the
provincial government.
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Brown, MP Leeds-Grenville;
#55 Russ Welch, Tackaberry Construction; General
Managers George Tackaberry, Tackaberry Construction and Herb Scott, Mayor
of Athens; and coaches Bill
Pristanski, Prospectus Associates; Paul Calandra, MP
Oak Ridges Markham; and
Walter Robinson, RX & D.
“The United Way in Leeds
and Grenville and Tackaberry & Sons Construction
Company both began their
work in the community 55
years ago,” said the P.A. announcer. “They are celebrating their 55th anniversary of
service to the community
tonight. They have been the
key to building the business
of this community for more
than five decades.”

Above: Despite the best in Blue
Team defence, White Team’s #23
Mayor Dennis Staples, got the
goal off of #31 MP Dean Del Mastro
at the sixth annual Hockey Night
in Leeds-Grenville, held at Centre
76 in Athens on Nov. 1. The event
raised $112,000 for the United
Way. Right: Spectator Kevin Graham was ready to sit out the game
in comfort at the event last week.

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The action was hot and
heavy as two well-matched
teams played to a draw.
Along the way they were
guided by wisdom from
their own “Don Cherry”
(represented in tribute by Ed
Holder, MP London West).
The United Way Leeds
& Grenville serves as an
umbrella organization in
order to generate funds for
the needy in the local community. They support the
priority needs where funding is not otherwise readily
available, bringing services
to individuals, families, the
elderly and children living at
or below the poverty line.
The funding supports
more than 100 programs and
services delivered by 27 different agencies, all of whom
provide vital services to
those in need.
“Each year, tens of thousands of people from all
walks of life give generously of their time to help raise
funds, participate on boards
and campaign cabinets, determine how best to invest
in communities, take part
in events and support Leeds
and Grenville with their
knowledge and expertise,”
notes the organization. “The
benefits of volunteering are
many and include: giving
something back to the community, making a difference
in someone’s life, sharing
your skills, talents and time,
helping others, making new
friends, gaining experience,
etc.
“You will be investing in
solutions to inspire healthy
people build strong communities, moving people from
poverty to possibility, and
helping kids be all they can
be.”
This year’s total fundraising goal is $1,030,000. So
far they are more than half
way there.
“The real winner for the
evening was The United Way
of Leeds and Grenville,”
said MP Gord Brown. “We
raised $112,000. We want to
give thanks to everyone who
made it such a great success
for a great cause.”
For more information
on the United Way Leeds
& Grenville, or to donate,
please go to http://www.
uwleedsgrenville.org/ , call
them at 613-342-8889, or email at unitedway@ripnet.
com.

The Anglican Parish
of All Saints
Office: Prescott 613-925-0987

Church of the Redeemer
(Anglican)
Holy Communion
every Sunday 9:00 am
Come and be part of our community

The City of Brockville is
covering the remainder of
the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cost, but not
without a boost from the
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), which
has provided the city a grant
of $400,000 and a loan of $4
million.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s money well spent,â&#x20AC;?
said Dorothy Hector, a councillor for the City of Kingston and representative for
the FCM.

Without
contributions
from the different levels of
government and the FCM,
a city the size of Brockville
would not be able to undertake so large a project, despite its importance to the
community.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;A single municipality
could not finance this kind
of project without additional
levels of funding,â&#x20AC;? said Henderson.
Now, with the larger and
more efficient wastewater

treatment plant, Brockville
is ready to accommodate the
growth and evolution of the
community, and the design
of the plant even allows for
easy expansion should the
need arise in the coming decades.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think Brockville is very
well placed now,â&#x20AC;? says Hector. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fantastic
facility.â&#x20AC;?
The plant has been operational since the middle of
August.

Photo by CONAN de VRIES

Mayor David Henderson (left) joins councillors (left to right) David Beatty and Jeff
Earle, along with city operations director Conal Cosgrove, in unveiling a plaque
last Friday acknowledging the completion of major upgrades to Brockvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
wastewater treatment facility.

Report on social assistance reform focus of MPPsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; town hall-style meeting
Roundtable participants voice variety of concerns from funding shortfalls to lack of affordable housing
By RYLAND COYNE
rcoyne@perfprint.ca

EMC News - Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an opposition attempt to keep a special report on reforming the
provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social assistance
program from being shelved

indefinitely. Whether it works
or not remains to be seen.
Last Thursday in Brockville, local MPP Steve Clark
did his part. He was joined
by Toby Barrett, MPP for
Haldimand-Norfolk and PC

Community and Social Services Critic, in hosting a
roundtable discussion on the
subject with local stakeholders. The 80-minute event, held
at the public library, attracted
close to two dozen partici-

Photo by RYLAND COYNE

MPPs Toby Barrett (Haldimand-Norfolk) and Steve Clark (Leeds-Grenville) listen
intently to one of the roundtable participants last Thursday, Nov. 1 at the Brockville Public Library. In the background is Jim McDonell, MPP for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry.

pants â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ranging from municipal and county government to
mental health and food bank
officials â&#x20AC;&#x201C; almost all of whom
voiced concern with the current system in Ontario.
According to a press release, the 183-page report
â&#x20AC;&#x201C; entitled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Brighter Prospects â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Transforming Social
Assistance in Ontarioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and
co-chaired by commissioners
Frances Lankin and Munir A.

Sheikh â&#x20AC;&#x201C; represents close to
two years of work. It makes
more than 100 recommendations in a bid to ensure the
provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most vulnerable
receive the support they need.
Specifically, the report would
affect those Ontario Works
(OW) and Ontario Disability
Support Program (ODSP) recipients. It would also affect
municipalities in terms of
how these programs would be

delivered.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want it sitting on
the shelf, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve set
up these meetings, so we can
get some ideas from people,â&#x20AC;?
Clark said.
The commissioners spent
much of their time consulting with Ontarians in order
to come up with their finished
product.
See REPORT page 6

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NEWS

EMC - Your Community Newspaper

Salvation Army kicks off Kettle Campaign with free concert in Gananoque
EMC Events - Bell ringers, kettle campaigns and
Thrift Stores – probably the
first three images that come to
mind when we hear the words
Salvation Army. But there’s
far more to this organization
than that.
In 1882, the Salvation
Army (SA) started its work in
Canada. Confederation was
only 15 years old, but already
there was a need to be filled,
and these blue uniformed volunteers and community workers were ready to step in.
Starting with worship services in Toronto and London,
it didn’t take them long to establish several corps throughout Ontario, and within a year
they were able to declare Canada as an independent “Territory” with its own governance
and responsibilities inside the
world organization.
William Booth, founder of
the SA, was of the philosophy
that hungry people had little
interest in salvation. When
a person’s belly is empty,
the soul cannot be properly
nourished, so from the very
beginning the SA in Canada
fed those who could not feed
themselves, and the idea of
“soup and salvation” became
an integral part of the program. This steadily developed
into the many comprehensive
social programs in place with
today’s SA, many of them in
shared operation and partnership with different levels of
government.
Originally known as The
Christian Mission in the East
End of London, England, in
1865, it became the Salvation Army in 1878. They had
adopted much of the structure
and discipline of the military,
and dedicated themselves to
reaching out to the disadvantaged and unloved in society,
those who felt abandoned by
church and community.
The SA was not immediately welcomed by many
politicians and civic interest
groups when they first came to
Canada, and members could
find themselves being beaten,
jailed or otherwise abused
for their works in the streets
of cities, towns and villages.
However, they refused to be
dissuaded and as their works
provided relief, improvement
in social programs and other
benefits to society, they found
themselves slowly becoming
accepted.
They opened both a Prison
Gate Home in Toronto for
men and a Children’s Shelter
in 1890. In 1898 came the
first Maternity Home. And the
programs kept coming, each
designed to help the helpless
and raise up the condition of
all in society.
Finally, the evidence could
no longer be ignored, and the
SA was given full legal standing in 1909 with its governance to be conducted by The
Governing Council of The
Salvation Army in Canada.
This status still holds today.
Good works in Gananoque
In Gananoque, the SA continues with the good works
for which the organization
is famous. A quiet group of
determined individuals, they
shut the store down for a few
hours on the morning of Nov.

5 in order to set up a Christmas section. This special part
of the store not only provides
everything that one might
need for the holiday, but does
so at terrific prices.
“Volunteers are always
needed to sit at the kettles during November and December,” says Joanne Lancaster.
“That is the only fund raising
the Salvation Army does.”
Then there is the “adopt a
family” program where the
SA looks for people to “adopt”
a family for Christmas, giving them the chance to buy a
Christmas meal and perhaps a
few gifts. This is totally anonymous, and allows both the
recipient family and the donor
to experience some extra joy
for the season. Or the Coats
for Kids program where peo-

ple in need can drop in and the
SA provides warm coats for
their children. An emergency
food bank is always available,
a “warming room” that’s always open with free coffee
and tea... these programs are
just a small glimpse at what is
happening in Gananoque, all
brought by the caring hearts
and hands of the SA.
And to make the season
brighter, on Saturday, Nov. 10,
the Salvation Army Legacy
Band will perform at Grace
United Church, 120 Pine St.,
at 7 p.m. Assisted by some
local talent, this 42-piece live
music ensemble will provide a
free concert of Christmas seasonal music. What better way
to get into the mood for the
season of giving and sharing.
For more information on

the concert, a chance to volunteer or to donate in any

way, please contact the SA
at (613) 382-3105 or visit the

Thrift Store in person at 120
Garden St.

R0011_679546_1018

By LORRAINE PAYETTE

NOTICE OF POSTING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGISTRY

R0011728847_1108

ST. LAWRENCE EMC - Thursday, November 8, 2012 5

NEWS

EMC - Your Community Newspaper

REPORT
From page 4

Barrett said he also wants
to hear from as many people
as he can.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a big fan of citizen
participation and public consultation,â&#x20AC;? he said.
When Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Park resumes sitting, presumably
some time in the new year, he
wants to be able to push the
government to adopt most of
the recommendations.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to analyze this.
We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want some areas to
go forward if they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make
sense,â&#x20AC;? Barrett told the group,
noting one of the reasons for
Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gathering.

Roundtable participants listen in to one of the comments being made during last Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meeting at
the Brockville Public Library.

One of the key recommendations in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Brighter Prospectsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;
would see Ontario Works
(currently handled at the
municipal level) and ODSP
(dealt with by the province)
joined into one system deliv-

ered at the municipal level. It
would also see a new standard
rate of support established
with additional supplements
for families and those with a
disability.
Many of those at Thurs-

Photo by RYLAND COYNE

dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meeting spoke of the
frustration felt by so many
on social assistance over the
complex nature of the system
and the different rules and
regulations that must be followed to receive what most

would consider a minimal
amount of money on which to
survive.
Brockville city councillor and program coordinator
with the Volunteer Centre of
St. Lawrence-Rideau Leigh
Bursey, said itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critical that
more incentives be built in to
get people back in the workforce.
Bonnie Gommert, executive director of the Food for
All Food Bank in South Grenville, noted itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the fear thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
built into the system that also
must be eliminated. People
who receive some form of
social assistance, she said,
are worried that if they take
a minimum wage job that
theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll lose their benefits and
be in an even worse financial
position.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had people say to me
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to get a job because if I get a job I get clawed
back. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand, I
donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what to do,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? she
said. People tell her, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want
to work, I want to volunteer, I
want to do things, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t
want to get in trouble and I
donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really want to get rid of
that because I need it.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?
Barrett noted the report
does recommend people on
ODSP who find employment
receive dental and drug coverage for a certain period of
time.
Ann Hysert, who introduced herself as a proud parent of a child with a disability,
had some harsh words for the
system as it now exists. With
programs being eroded, ser-

come out against such a move,
saying the funding isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there.
Bursey suggested $100
should be a minimum increase given the difficulty
many Ontarians have to make
ends meet.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you put those things
in perspective, yes, it is a step
in the right direction, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s progress being made, but still very
much stand-still progress. To
not see that come into play
would be very detrimental.â&#x20AC;?
While the issue of affordable housing was not part of
the report, most of those at the
meeting said it is a big problem in the Brockville area.
Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nearly impossible to begin pursuing a job when one
doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where the next
meal is coming from or where
to find shelter.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to go
to the various agencies that
may be around this table, trying to figure out how food is
going to get on the table tonight for your children, and
youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing that on a monthto-month basis, the opportunity and the mindset to start
to engage in employment isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t
there,â&#x20AC;? Tutak said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have
to know you have a roof over
your head and that your children have food before you can
start going down the path of
employment.â&#x20AC;?

vices being constrained, funding either frozen or scaled
back, she called the current
situation an â&#x20AC;&#x153;implosion.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an implosion thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
been happening over the last
10 or 15 years and the folks
most vulnerable are most
hurtâ&#x20AC;ŚAt what time does the
system really cease to function?â&#x20AC;? she asked.
She also voiced some reservations with the report which
she says places a heavy emphasis on employment. What
about those who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work,
she questioned.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;It sounds like we live to
work â&#x20AC;Ś but we need to have a
value statement for the people
who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work or who are receiving some kind of support
or trying to transition to work,
and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve lost that in this report.â&#x20AC;?
Alison Tutak, director
of human services with the
United Counties of Leeds and
Grenville, said the one-tier
system for OW and ODSP,
as suggested in the report, is
a step in the right direction.
The concern would be what
costs might have to be borne
by the municipalities. And
with the province currently
in the process of uploading
services from municipalities,
how would this affect that
schedule?
Another positive, Tutak
said, is the suggested increase
of $100 a month for singles on
social assistance. The current
rate of $599 is $50 below that
of 1995, she said. But Clark
said the minister has already

Both MPPs wrapped up
the session thanking all those
in attendance for their input,
saying such feedback will
hopefully help move the process forward.

The concern is with the
relief dampers not adequately relieving the pressure in
the event of a delayed ignition as a result of a buildup of un-burnt gas. This
could result in an explosion expelling the fireplace
glass into the living space
causing personal injury.
This Safety Order is effective immediately.
Dated at Toronto this 14th
day of September, 2012.

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EMC Events - A big crowd showed up Saturday, Oct. 27, for the sixth annual Spencerville Area Ladies Awareness Day (SALAD), where attendees listened to speakers and watched presentations focused on health, wellness and success. Featured speakers included (left to right) Vivienne Fotheringham, of CPHC; yoga instructor
Katie Westrate; Janet Campbell, owner of Mrs. McGarrigle’s; Judith Waddell and Joyce Morris, who provided
entertainment under the name Two Sisters; and Roxanne Harris, a specialist in heilkunst homeopathy.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Remember brave men and women who protect our freedom
DEAR EDITOR:
Every Remembrance Day, residents of Leeds-Grenville take
the time to honour and pay tribute to those who fought for the
liberation of millions around the world and died defending our
freedoms.
During the world’s darkest hours – from Vimy Ridge in the
First World War, to Dieppe and Juno Beach in the Second World
War, defending Seoul during the Korean War, to restoring stability in Bosnia, Rwanda and now Kandahar – when duty called,
Canadians bravely answered.
Remembrance Day gives us an opportunity to remember
those who have worn our country’s uniform and have given the
ultimate sacrifice in defence of Canadian values.
Their sacrifice for Canada is something we must never take
for granted. The debt we owe those brave men and women is
incalculable.
During the time-honoured wave of silence, Ontarians will
pause to remember the brave soldiers, sailors, air men and

women who gave their lives in service of Canada and our values. We remember their sacrifices and cherish the country they
made possible.
I encourage everyone to take a moment to remember our veterans’ bravery, their determination, and their conviction that has
led to our military successes and has afforded us the peace and
prosperity we enjoy today.
Indeed Canada’s respected standing in the world is in large
part due to the courage our veterans have shown in conflicts
across the globe.
Here in Leeds-Grenville, residents will gather for annual Remembrance Day services and pay their respects at cenotaphs
throughout the riding on Sunday.
On behalf of the residents of Leeds-Grenville, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all of the men and women who
have bravely served in the Canadian Armed Forces
Lest we forget.
Steve Clark, Leeds-Grenville MPP

EMC Editorial - “In Flanders fields the poppies
blow...” words from the famous poem written by John
McCrae in 1915. A poem, to this day, most will associate
with war time. A poem Lt. Col. McCrae wrote after the
burial of a friend who was killed in the gun positions
near Ypres, Belgium.
This Remembrance Day, as is tradition, we will
remember them. At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the
eleventh month, many thousands of Canadians, young
and young at heart, will gather across the country and
truly place meaning in the saying, “Lest we Forget”.
Those who fought for our freedom in World War I
and World War II as well as in Korea and Afghanistan
and who served on many peacekeeping missions will be
honoured and remembered.
Locations throughout Lanark, Leeds and Grenville
will be featuring Remembrance Day ceremonies and
events to ensure the memory of days gone by will never
be forgotten. Cenotaphs will be visited, wreaths laid and
poppies placed.
Remembrance and respect for those who put their
lives on the line, and for those who paid the ultimate
price should not just happen one day of the year. And
there are students and projects in the area who are ensuring that the tribute and legacy veterans have left us will
always remain at the forefront of our minds.
It’s a legacy which should be taught and instilled in
the minds of our young people as they make their way
through school. The importance of the ultimate sacrifice
made by so many of our men and women, must never
be forgotten. Their stories must be told, their bravery
shown.
“We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.”
Those wishing to commemorate Remembrance Day
in their own communities should visit their municipal
and Royal Canadian Legion websites for information on
when observances will be taking place. Lest we Forget.

Sugar bowl represented much more than eggs to Mother
EMC Lifestyle - It was a
blue sugar bowl. Much larger
than the one we used every
day on the kitchen table.
Father said it had been in
his family as long as he could
remember. It wasn’t used for
sugar anymore, though. It
was where Mother kept her
egg money. It had a matching jug too, but it just stood
beside the sugar bowl, and
was never used. I figured the
reason Mother used the sugar
bowl for her egg money, and
not the jug, was because it had
a lid on it. To protect what was
inside, sort of.
Goodness knows we kids
would never dare go into the
sugar bowl without permission, although sometimes,
if we had tired of looking
around Eaton’s catalogue in
an evening of sitting around
the kitchen table, Mother
would let me take down the
sugar bowl, and count her egg
money.
Mother never heard of egg
money when she moved to that

Mary Cook’s Memories
MARY COOK

back woods farm in Renfrew
County after living 18 years
in New York City. But it was
Aunt Bertha, Mrs. Beam too,
who told her about saving a
penny here, and a penny there,
and it was to be hers alone.
Mrs. Beam snorted when
she told mother about it being hers alone though. Sadly
Mother soon found out what
she meant.
Now, about the egg money.
It was Mother’s challenge
to keep money in the sugar
bowl. That meant that every
week she went into Renfrew
and peddled her wares door to
door. At first, Mother thought
that that meant just peddling
eggs. But Aunt Bertha was
quick to show her how she

could add greatly to her egg
money.
“It’s not just from selling
eggs, you know,” she told
Mother. Everyone in Renfrew
likes a fresh chicken now and
again Aunt Bertha said.
Soon Mother added sticky
buns, freshly churned butter
and homemade soap to her
wares. Once she tried selling
small braided rugs, and hand
sewn aprons, but she soon
found out the women of Renfrew were just as busy themselves as she was making rugs
and aprons.
Aunt Bertha said the money
could be used for anything she
wanted. New print from Walker Store, maybe a fresh pair
of lisle stockings. But Mother

had other plans for her egg
money.
She longed to go back to
New York. Not to stay of
course, which was always a
fear deep in my heart, because
she talked about the place so
often and I knew how much
she missed the life she once
led. No, it would be just for a
visit to spend a few days with
her friend Rosie… and maybe
go to an opera again, or visit
the museums she loved. Yes,
she longed for just one trip
back to New York, and her
wish was that one day there
would be enough egg money
in the blue sugar bowl to go
back for a visit.
Often, at night, she would
take the bowl down from the
back to the wall cupboard and
spread the money out on the
oilcloth on the kitchen table.
She would count and stack
the coins in order, and if there
were any bills, she would flatten them out and put a salt
shaker on them to hold them
flat. And then, she would write

the amount and the date on a
slip of paper and tuck it into
the sugar bowl with the money. And back it would go on
the shelf in the cupboard.
There would be a big sigh.
Never would there be enough
money for the trip back to
New York. And it wasn’t because she would dip into it for
something frivolous like silk
stockings or a new hat. No the
reason was much simpler than
that.
It would be because Father would have had to have
some of the few coins she had
worked so hard to accumulate.
Father never had more than a
few cents in his overall pockets. And so, when something
wore out, like it often did on
the farm, or a new piece of harness was needed, inner tubes to
replace the well, patched ones
on the car, or even maybe, a
new plow point, it was from
the egg money Father would
have to go.
There would be so much
sadness on such a day. I al-

ways dreaded being in the
kitchen when that happened.
Father would come in from
the barns, stop just inside the
kitchen door, and pause as if
he was undecided where he
was heading. If Mother was
busy at the stove, or at the
wash tub, she would pause
for just a moment, and a look
of sadness would come over
her face. Father would slowly
walk over to the cupboard,
and take down the blue jug
and take out a few coins, or
one or two of the bills, cram
them into his overalls’ pocket
and quietly quit the house.
Not a word would be spoken. We would hear him
leave the yard in the wagon or
buggy, and I would know he
was headed into Renfrew or to
Briscoe’s General Store with a
few coins from Mother’s egg
money to get what was needed
to keep the farm going.
And I would know that
once again, Mother’s dream of
a trip back to her beloved New
York was as far away as ever.

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Read us online at
www.EMConline.ca
Your Community Newspaper

NEWS

EMC - Your Community Newspaper

Former terrorist in Northern Ireland to speak on forgiveness and reconciliation
international speaker on forgiveness and reconciliation.
Rev. John McGregor has a
world-wide preaching schedule and enjoys travelling to
the four corners of the earth
in order to share the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. John has worked
closely with Billy Graham
Ministries, Canadian Revival

Fellowship, and has been
serving as the full-time Lead
Pastor of Glencairn Alliance
Church in Regina since 2009.
John has a powerful personal testimony that exemplifies the amazing grace, forgiveness and transformation
that God can bring to a willing heart.

We chose solar

R0011662322

EMC Events - Wall Street
United Church is pleased to
announce that Pastor John
McGregor will be speaking in
Brockville on Nov. 24 and 25,
2012.
John will share his amazing journey that has taken him
from being a teenage “terrorist” in Northern Ireland to an

Born and raised in Northern Ireland during the sectarian troubles there, John
became a member of the

Protestant paramilitary terrorist organization, the Ulster
Defence Association. John’s
story of moving from the gun,

to the cross, to the pulpit will
take you to the very centre of
See PASTOR page 10

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Time has no beginning and
history has no boundsâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?
- Canadian Railroad Trilogy,
Gordon Lightfoot
EMC News - Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first
Railway Tunnel, located between Pearl Street and Market
Street in Brockville, virtually
beneath Victoria Avenue, was
built between 1854 and 1860

as a means of assisting the
Brockville and Ottawa Railway
in transporting goods between
the industrial waterfront area in
Brockville and all of the outlying areas that lay between the
St. Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers.
Like so many civic projects,
the tunnel had its share of supporters and detractors. How-

ever, in the end, the different
communities came together
and granted funds for the firm
of Sykes, DeBergque & Co to
construct a rail line in 1853.
In 1854, construction began
after all due pomp and circumstance.
But as is also true of so many
projects, cost overruns led to
problems in financing, which

Second-year Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University Engineering students pause for a moment at the
end of their trip to look at the historic Railway Tunnel in Brockville and discover
some of its possibilities as a teaching tool. The tunnel has the potential to open
up many avenues in tourism and education throughout the area.

Additional information concerning the Minor Variance Applications above is available from the
Planning and Development Department at 1233 Prince Street, Lansdowne, during normal office
hours. You can contact our office by calling (613) 659-2415, or by fax (613) 659-3619, or email
planning@townshipleeds.on.ca.
DATED at the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands 1st day of November, 2012.

R0011728118_1108

TAKE NOTICE that the Committee of Adjustment for the Corporation of the Township of Leeds
and the Thousand Islands is in receipt of the following applications for Minor Variance to Zoning
By-Law No. 07-079. A Public Hearing will be held on the applications at the meeting noted above.

created delays and suspensions,
eventually requiring that the
firm of Dales & Co. be brought
in to complete the road and the
sub-contracting firm of Brown,
Row & Co. was contracted to
complete the work.
The tunnel was built by three
separate methods â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;open cutâ&#x20AC;?
at the south end, which consisted of a trench being cut through

PASTOR
From page 9

Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love, grace, forgiveness and transforming ability. God now uses this former
terrorist to bring hope and
healing to a hurting world.
You will be blessed by Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
ministry!

to the solid rock, then the tunnel
built over it with stone blocks
and back filled; then the rock
was blasted through to create
the middle section of the tunnel; finally the north end was
constructed using â&#x20AC;&#x153;soft tunnelingâ&#x20AC;?, adding a brick liner
to provide extra strength. The
work was long and arduous, but
on December 31, 1860, the first

wood-burning engine pulling
two coaches passed successfully through the tunnel, and it
was officially in business.
Another modern problem
faced by the tunnel was the
height limitation imposed by
the structure which is only 14
feet 9 inches from the top of the

â&#x20AC;˘ November 24th: 12 noon,
Restorative Justice Luncheon, â&#x20AC;&#x153;From the Bullets of
Belfast: A Life Transformedâ&#x20AC;?.
Cost is $15. Tickets available
at Wall Street Church
â&#x20AC;˘ November 24: 7 p.m.
Community Service â&#x20AC;&#x153;The
Power of Forgivenessâ&#x20AC;? (Free

arch to the ground and 14 feet
across. Therefore, only trains
that were short enough in stature to pass through could use
it.
Time passed, and the trains
became less used. Eventually,
in 1970, the tunnel stopped
being used altogether. The
great oak doors, put in place
to prevent animals from wandering through, were closed
and only the very ends of the
tunnel were accessible.
Reopening
With the blessings of council, Brockville is once again
working on opening the tunnel to use. However, the
trains that will pass through it
in the future will have rubber
wheels, and their purpose will
be to ferry tourists and train
buffs back and forth from the
modern waterfront and its
many attractions to parking
facilities and other businesses
north of city hall.
“Since 1974 there have been
studies to say that the tunnel
should be a tourist attraction,”
said Brockville councillor David LeSueur. “Two years ago
a group got together and said
it was time to do something.
We now have the Brockville
Railway Tunnel Committee.
It’s a Committee of Council,
and we’ve started looking at
all of the input from all of the
ideas that have come in. There
are two acres at the north end
which could be used for parking, vendors, or other activi-

Photo by LORRAINE PAYETTE

Handshake deal
Mark Diederichs, a professor of Geological Engineering at Queen’s University and David LeSueur, Brockville Railway Tunnel committee chair and city councillor, are working together on the project to renovate
and restore the historic Railway Tunnel in Brockville
while taking advantage of its rich opportunities as a
teaching resource.
ties, then have people ride a
tour train through the tunnel
to the boat tour, block house,
the Aquatarium (formerly the
Maritime Discovery Centre)
and along Water Street to the
various attractions, then over
to King Street for shopping
and dinner. We’re hoping to
put in a couple of dining cars
at the south end where people
could eat before heading back
to their cars.”
It is about four blocks from
one end of the tunnel to the
other, which would allow
people the opportunity to bike

or walk through as well as
taking the train. They would
have the opportunity to see all
the fascinating below-ground
structure and get an idea of
what the tunnel was like in its
heyday.
Queen’s involvement
But there is also a great educational opportunity here.
“We have had Stantec and
Inspec-Sol engineering firms
in to assess the tunnel’s safety
for public use,” said LeSueur.
“Queen’s (University) has
been helping with the Inspec
Sol report and study. (They

are) happy to find a teaching
tool with possible projects
and assignments coming from
its uses and Brockville is happy that Queen’s can help with
the project going forward.
Brockville also likes the idea
of helping and working with
Queen’s on with the tunnel’s
new-found potential.”
“It’s very difficult to expose
young people to tunnelling in
this country or in this province,” said Mark Diederichs,
a professor of Geological Engineering at Queen’s University and tunnelling engineer.
“There are a few big projects
in Ontario, but they’re very
difficult to get to. This is 45
minutes away, and not only is
it a tunnel where you can see
three different construction
types that are still used today, but it’s also an absolutely
brilliant and beautiful tunnel.
There’s a calcite formation
there that would rival most
caves in the world, there are
some fabulous rock outcrops
that have been blasted through
and you can imagine people
150 years ago just figuring it
out as they went. It was Canada’s first tunnel, so there were
no train tunnel crews in this
country. This even predates
the tunnels out west in the
Rockies, which is impressive.
I think it’s a real jewel and it
needs to be opened up for the
public to see.
“This is a second year
class, and they’re beginning
to get exposure to this in general. I talk about all of this in

lectures, and it’s impossible to
take a class like this to a major
industrial project in progress
due to safety hazards and everything else. So this is a real
treat for them. If this is open,
I think we can bring some upper-year classes through to do
some specific projects.
“There are a lot of mysteries for them. Where is all the
ground water coming from
that’s causing all the formations? Why did they start in
the rock where they did? How
did they do the brickwork?
It’s different this end than
the other end. Why is that?
A whole bunch of little mysteries you could unravel as a
student.”
The students themselves
were buzzing with thoughts

and questions as they prepared to leave the site on
Sunday, a good indication that
the tunnel has many valuable
lessons hidden inside its dark
and moist interior.
Funding the project will
involve many applications,
including those for various
grants, competitions with
other historic sites, public donations, but LeSueur is confident that it will go through.
“The first study was done
in 1974 saying that the tunnel
should be used as a tourist attraction,” said LeSueur. “The
committee has said that now
is the time to get it done.”
For more on the historic
Railway Tunnel, please go to
http://heritagebrockville.com/
industry/node/383.

CONNECTING WITH
YOUR COMMUNITY
A FREE workshop to connect newcomers with local services
x Are you, or someone you know, new to Canada and/or the region?
x Do you, or someone you know, want to:

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, then you

Community Room
(1000 Islands Mall)

RSVP by Nov. 12 to
diversity.matters
@uwlg.org

Wed. November 14, 2012
5:30 p.m. –9:00 p.m.

or call Elizabeth at
613-342-8889

2399 Parkedale Ave., Brockville

On the city bus route
(green bus)

R0011713630_1101

need to attend this workshop!

Dr. Douglas Harvey is pleased to announce
the addition of Dr. Vijay Bhatt to the team
at Continuum Dental Care. Dr. Bhatt was
born and raised in Brockville, and is a
graduate of Brockville Collegiate Institute
and the University of Western Ontario. He
completed his dental training at the
University of the West Indies, followed by
an Advanced Education in General Dentistry
residency in Massachusetts. Dr. Bhatt has
now ﬁnished an International Dental
Degree Program at the University of
Manitoba and has returned to Brockville to
pursue his dental career. Dr. Bhatt will be
joining in October, and is accepting
new patients.
Contact us at:
7748 Kent Blvd
Brockville, ON
K6V 7J9

New author discusses work at Brockville library next week
EMC Events - Imagine
walking through the lost villages of the St. Lawrence Seaway….
Jennifer DeBruin has imagined and recreated such a journey in her first novel A Walk
with Mary and will share her
story at the Brockville Public
Library on Thursday, Nov. 8.

A Walk with Mary is a
story based on the experience of a woman from a generation known for its ability
to bravely move forward in
life - regardless of the challenges. “As my understanding
grew of who I am as a woman,
empowered by the generation
I was raised in, along with

becoming a wife and mother,
I began to understand that
despite the fact that Mary’s
generation did not talk about
their feelings, did not mean
they did not exist. Below the
surface were deep feelings of
love, joy, disappointment, and
loss.
“Over a period of about

two years, I was able to write
the story of Mary, inspired by
my own grandmother’s life
experiences, to come to know
the uncommon strength of
our ‘silent generation’. Set on
the banks of the St. Lawrence
River, the true story of the
‘Lost Villages’ is fascinating.
For those who have travelled

R0011728560_1108

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is emotionally intensive, the
decision to put my book out
into the world is one of the
biggest leaps of faith I’ve ever
made.
“An avid student of life, I
am always looking for opportunities to learn the stories of
people and places through discussion, research, and travel.”
Jennifer will be at the library for discussion and book
signing on Thursday Nov. 8,
6:30 p.m. Brockville Public
Library, 23 Buell St. Brockville, 613-342-3936, www.
brockvillelibrary.ca

Addison school
students participate
in 2012 Waste-Free
Lunch Challenge

All New 2012 CAMRY

YARIS HATCHBACK

Highway 2, near Cornwall,
Ontario, occasionally seeing
tree trunks in the river and bits
of the old highway dipping
to meet the water, it seems
incredible that such historic
places – settled by United
Empire Loyalists in the 1780s
– villages and hamlets that so
many used to call home, were
washed away by the St. Lawrence Seaway as the price of
‘progress.’
“Writing has been a wonderful opportunity to combine
my passions for: Genealogy,
History, and Language Arts.
While the process of writing

EMC News - Students at
Meadowview Public School
will find out in December if
the school is a winner in the
Recycling Council of Ontario
Waste-Free Lunch Challenge.
Meadowview
students
recently participated in the
challenge, pledging to decrease the amount of garbage
they generated at school by
reducing the amount of waste
and non-recyclable materials included in their lunch,
said Paula Mooney, a Grade
3 teacher who led the effort at
Meadowview.
The average Ontario student generates about 30 kilograms of lunch waste annually
– about the size of an average
Grade 2 student.
Mooney said she wanted
the school to participate as
part of efforts by the EcoSchools Club at Meadowview
to encourage environmentally
responsible behaviour among
the 170 students who attend.
“I think it’s important for
kids to really think hard about
what they’re putting in their
lunches to ensure it’s not only
healthy for them but healthy
for the environment as well,”
said Mooney.

Through the challenge,
students were encouraged to
ask their families to reduce
lunch waste. Efforts included
everything from packing reusable drink bottles in students’ lunches to buying bulk
cookies and other snacks, and
sending them in recyclable
containers rather than using
plastic wrap.
During the challenge, the
school was also required to
sort, weigh and record Meadowview’s lunchtime waste
generation. Mooney conducted a pre-challenge waste
audit and then compared it to
the school’s success during
the challenge. The school was
already doing quite well managing lunchtime waste, dropping from only .8 kilograms
per day to 0 kilograms per day
during the challenge. They
also increased recyclables retrieved to 7.4 kilograms daily
from 4 kilograms, and organic
waste diverted into the composter to 3.2 kilograms from
.5 kilograms before the challenge.
Meadowview is competing
for prizes that include $1,000
for the school’s environmental projects.

Small business provides jobs,
tax revenues and many other
contributions to our region.

Support
Small Business

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON!
Check out the Fantastic Bargains from
local merchants in the Special Section
of this newspaper, November 22nd
12 ST. LAWRENCE EMC - Thursday, November 8, 2012

R0011705270_1101

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23

MARK
YOUR
CALEN
DAR

Mark Your Calendars! November 9 & 10, 2012

R0011726140_1108

The United Way Live & Silent Auction
One of the yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest Live and Silent Auctions takes place at the 1000 Islands Mall at the East
end by Sears on Friday, November 9 and Saturday, November 10 in support of United Way Leeds &
Grenville. The United Way is holding the Live Auction on Saturday, November 10 at the East end
of the Mall at 2:00 p.m. Our Auctioneer will be Jamieson Bridal from 103.7 Bob FM.
ITEMS ON THE AUCTION BLOCK ARE:

(Rza) for their weapons. The
Blacksmith loathes to make
such tools of destruction, but
he has no choice. He has fallen
in love with a prostitute, Lady
Silk (Jamie Chung), and he
must earn enough to buy her
freedom. Yet events soon spin
beyond his control as heroes
and villains alike descend on
the town.
The Emperor has sent
a shipment of gold to his
troops in the North. The gold
inspires murder and betrayal
as Silver Lion (Byron Mann)
seizes control of the Lion clan
to take the gold. Silver Lion
working with Poison Dagger
(Daniel Wu), and the mercenary Brass Body (Dave Batista) intend to take control of
Jungle village, and keep the
gold hidden in the vaults under Madam Blossom’s (Lucy
Liu) establishment.
The villains do not go
unchallenged. Zen-Yi (Rick
Yune) has come to avenge
the murder of his father at the
hands of Silver Lion. Jack
Knife (Russell Crowe) has
come to the village to protect
the Emperor’s interests, and
then there’s the Blacksmith.
The once escaped slave will
be forced to tap into power
he didn’t know he had to become an unstoppable weapon.
I liked The Man With the
Iron Fists. It was fun, it has
great martial arts action, it
has a terrific cast, and it has
some really cool characters.
It’s got all the elements for
a truly epic martial arts fantasy, and yet it falls short.
First, the story is rushed. A
little more talking, and a little
less kicking would have done
wonders for the plot. Second,
there’s way too much gore
and not nearly enough cool
supernatural martial arts.
But where the film really
falls short for me is with the
main hero played by Rza. The
concept of a former slave on
the run who winds up making
weapons in a small village in
China is just about ideal. Unfortunately, the performance
is less so. I just couldn’t buy
Rsa as a martial arts hero.
Fortunately the rest of the
cast is brilliant. Lucy Liu is
deliciously devious. Russell
Crow manages to be as dangerous as he is funny. Dave
Batista is as fierce as he is
unstoppable. Rick Yune really knows how to play the
hero, and Byron Mann made
an outstanding villain. If Rsa
did one thing right it was surrounding himself with some
incredible talent.
In the end The Man With
the Iron Fists is a decent
martial arts fantasy. It’s going to meet most people’s expectations it just isn’t going
to exceed them.
Mark Haskins’ column is a
regular feature of the EMC.

NEWS

EMC - Your Community Newspaper

Author shares world of fantasy with a message
By DOREEN BARNES

EMC Lifestyle – American fantasy writer Bryan Davis visited Ottawa, Kingston,
Cornwall and Brockville last
week, as part of his crossCanada tour to introduce his
more than 25 books, contemporary writing suitable for the
whole family.
Davis is an author of Dragons in Our Midst, Oracles of
Fire, Dragons of Starlight,
Tales of Starlight and Echoes
from the Edge series.
These books have made
such an impact on all ages,
that just about every day, Davis receives messages telling
him how much his books have
changed lives.
One note came from a six
year-old girl whose mother
had read Racing Dragons.
Now the little girl doesn’t
depend on her night light anymore.
Other messages have come
from an 88 year-old great
grandmother who had terminal cancer as well as six
different teenagers who indicated that his books kept them
from taking their lives.
“In my books some are
pretty heavy as far as the
message and some are more
covert,” said Davis. “Very
strong on faith, courage, and
sacrifice kind of messages.”
When Davis took a readers’
poll of his first four books,
asking which was their favourite, Circles of Seven won out,
perhaps because it is a lesson

Photo by DOREEN BARNES

On Wednesday, Oct. 31, fantasy author Bryan Davis presented to Cross Town Impact group at Prince of Wales Public School in Brockville. Davis has written more
than 25 books with messages for young and older individuals.
on contentment.
Davis started a writing exercise to encourage his children to use their imaginations
and to create wonderful stories.
“The reason why I started
writing 19 years ago was because my children were having trouble in writing class,”
said Davis. “So I wanted to
encourage them to write by
writing a story with them, to
get them involved in the creative process. Back then I was
a full-time computer profes-

sional.”
Children’s input
Davis and his wife, Susie
were blessed with seven children, four girls and three boys,
who Susie homeschooled.
So Davis wrote a chapter
of a story which Susie read to
the children for their input and
suggestions.
“At the end of the reading
time I asked the kids, what do
you think will happen next?”
said Davis. “They would
give me their ideas and what

should happen to the story and
I’d try to put their ideas in the
story.”
Again Susie read the story
with the children’s input. As
they heard their suggestions,
they became more excited
about the story content.
“Over time the story grew
and their ideas grew and I
knew they were ready to write
a couple of paragraphs,” indicated Davis. “So that was their
initiation to the excitement of
writing. Over time they were
glad to do it because they

were excited about the story. could breathe fire.”
This was the beginning of
Their ideas started with a
couple of paragraphs, grew the fantasy series on which
to a couple of pages, then five Davis embarked. Davis has
pages and I could not keep up been writing full-time for the
with their ideas. So they said, last 10 years.
‘well dad if you cannot keep
“I researched fantasy and
up, we’ll write
saw one of the
our own sto- “As a computer biggest drawing
powers, that it
ries’; that was professional,
helped the kids
exactly what
to
remember
I was hoping it was a find
the stories by
for.”
job, but I
adding fantasy
Their oldest
elements,” he
son James, 30 wasn’t making
said.
years of age, an impact
In addition to
wrote a novel
his fantasy writCoyote
Pil- on anybody,
ing, Davis has
grim.
so I thought
written The Im“My 21 yearage of Father,
old daughter perhaps I
Spit and Polish
has two pubcould expand
for Husbands,
lished books,”
and the Arch
said Davis.
this and help
Books
series
So the whole
which includes
family
has other people.
The Story of
i n c o r p o r a t e d So I decided I
Jesus’ Baptism
writing in their
and
Temptacareers
one wanted to be
tion, The Day
way or another. an author.”
Jesus Died, The
“As a comBRYAN DAVIS
Story of the
puter profes- AUTHOR
Empty Tomb
sional, it was a
fine job, but I wasn’t making (sold over 10,000 books) and
an impact on anybody, so I Jacob’s Dream.
Davis is currently workthought perhaps I could expand this and help other peo- ing on two books, Reaper and
ple,” he explained. “So I de- Exodus Rising with his rights
cided I wanted to be an author. to Raising Dragons being sold
I went to writing conferences as an option for a movie.
and became better and better.
To learn more about Bryan
One night I had a dream about
a boy who could breathe fire. Davis, as an author, poet and
I told James about it and we his writing workshops visit
brainstormed about a boy who www.daviscrossing.com.

Walker and Associates wins Entrepreneur of the Year
provides accounting services
across Leeds and Grenville
with offices located in Prescott
and Kemptville.
In 2006, Peer and Walker
purchased W. Gordon Wells,
an accounting firm they were
employed with.
Through growth, Peer and
Walker worked diligently at
their business in Prescott taking the opportunity to branch
out into Kemptville.

By DOREEN BARNES

EMC News – At the Bridges to Better Business Conference, held at C.J.’s Banquet
Hall, Brockville, on Thursday,
Oct. 25, remarks and presentations were made during the
lunch hour which included
presenting Walker and Associates Professional Corporation
with the 2012 Entrepreneur of
the Year Award.
Wendy Onstein, manager,
Leeds and Grenville Small
Business Enterprise Centre,
was joined by Leeds-Grenville MPP Steve Clark in presenting this award.
“I would like to thank Wendy and her staff for choosing Walker and Associates,”
said David Peer. “Rob and I
wouldn’t be standing here today if it wasn’t for the amazing staff that we have in both
offices. I would also like to
thank my life time best friend
Henry Brunton who drove
all the way from Toronto to
be here today along with his
parents Doug and Catherine
Brunton.”
This award was established
in 2008 to recognize a client
who has used the resources
available at the Leeds and
Grenville Small Business Enterprise Centre.
In order to be acknowledged with this award, the
recipient (s) must possess the
essential skills of patience,
versatility, risk taking and
perseverance.
“They have grown their

In 2011, this pair decided to
purchase a Kemptville business.
Today they are operating
with a staff of six people including themselves, plus one
contract.
Being community focused,
Walker and Associates Professional Corporation provides
financial support to many
local charities including the
Food for All Food bank, Light
up the Night Parade, Spencerville Country Christmas and
Grenville Youth.
Photo by DOREEN BARNES

On Thursday, October 25, Walker and Associates Professional Corporation (offices in Prescott and Kemptville) was the recipient of the 2012 Entrepreneur of
the Year Award. From left to right are Michelle Marsh, Crystal Lang, David Peer,
Leeds Grenville MPP Steve Clark, Robert Walker, Dinah Boal and Sandra Scott.
This award was established in 2008 by the Leeds and Grenville Small Business
Enterprise Centre.
business based on their core
value of ‘client first’,” said
Onstein. “Neither David Peer
nor Robert Walker is too busy
to answer questions or spend
time with budding entrepreneurs. Dealing with their staff

it is obvious that they are a
team and share the same vision. They have been a reliable and valued resource for
the Small Business Centre
and the Grenville Community
Futures Development Corpo-

ration.”
Last year’s winner of this
award was Terry Ann Hare of
Beauty Inside.
Accounting services
Walker and Associates